영국, 가이아나에 OPV HMS 트렌트 파견

[위종민]

베네주엘라가 가이아나 합병을 추진하자, 영국 해군이 카리브해 마약 단속 작전에 투입했던 리버급 배치2 OPV인 P224 HMS 트렌트함을 가이아나로 파견했습니다. 

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2023/december/13906-united-kingdom-deploys-hms-trent-near-guyana-amid-tensions-with-venezuela.html

United Kingdom Deploys HMS Trent Near Guyana Amid Tensions with Venezuela

Naval News December 2023 Navy Forces Maritime Defense IndustryPOSTED ON TUESDAY, 26 DECEMBER 2023 10:35

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The British Ministry of Defence has confirmed the deployment of HMS Trent, an offshore patrol vessel, for joint exercises scheduled after Christmas. Guyana, a member of the Commonwealth and the only English-speaking country in South America is facing renewed territorial claims by Venezuela over a part of Guyanese territory rich in natural resources.
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HMS Trent sailing from Gibraltar to the Caribbean. (Picture source: Twitter account of HMS Trent)

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Initially assigned to the Caribbean for anti-drug trafficking operations, the mission of HMS Trent was redirected following Venezuela's aggressive stance towards the Essequibo region in Guyana. This move by Venezuela has heightened concerns about a potential military conflict, the first in South America since the Falklands War in 1982.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence stated that the visit of HMS Trent to Guyana is part of the United Kingdom's commitment to its regional allies and Commonwealth partners. The ship is equipped for various missions, including anti-piracy, counter-terrorism, humanitarian aid, and border patrols.

The HMS Trent is a River-class patrol vessel, specifically from the Batch 2 series, of the British Royal Navy. It was ordered in August 2014 and built by BAE Systems Naval Ships. The steel cutting for its construction began on October 7, 2015, and the ship was launched on March 20, 2018. It was sponsored by Mrs. Pamela Potts and christened on March 13, 2018, before being officially commissioned on August 3, 2020. HMS Trent's homeport is Portsmouth.

Regarding its general characteristics, HMS Trent has a displacement of 2,000 tonnes. It measures 90.5 meters in length, 13 meters in width, and has a draught of 3.8 meters. Its maximum speed is 25 knots (about 46 km/h), with a range of 5,500 nautical miles (about 10,200 km) and an endurance of 35 days. It can carry two rigid inflatable boats and accommodate up to 50 troops. The crew varies between 34 and 45 members.

HMS Trent has several sensor and processing systems, including a SharpEye navigation radar from Kelvin Hughes Ltd, a Terma Scanter 4100 2D radar, the BAE CMS-1 combat management system, and a Shared Infrastructure operating system. Its armament includes a 30 mm DS30B gun, four 0.5" heavy machine guns, two miniguns (retired as of 2023), and two general-purpose machine guns. The ship is also equipped with a Merlin-capable flight deck and can embark small UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Additionally, it has a 16-tonne crane.

With these capabilities, HMS Trent is primarily used for missions such as anti-piracy and drug trafficking, fisheries protection, counter-terrorism, humanitarian aid, and search and rescue operations, as well as for border patrols and defense diplomacy.

In related developments, the UK Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, and the Minister for the Americas, David Rutley, expressed strong support for Guyana's sovereignty. Rutley's recent visit to Georgetown marked the first by a G7 representative since the renewal of Venezuela's claim. He emphasized respecting sovereign borders and promised the UK's support for Guyana's territorial integrity.

In response, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil criticized the UK's involvement, alleging destabilization efforts in the region and historical grievances, accusing the UK of historical injustices in the region. The disputed border between Guyana and Venezuela was established under an international agreement in 1899. Guyana, formerly British Guiana, gained its independence in 1966.

[백선호]

2002년 네덜란드해군 총장이 말한 것처럼 이런 OPV에 토마호크 넣을 수 있는 VLS가 있으면 더 효과적일 수도 있겠네요. 상대방은 토마호크가 진짜로 안에 있는지 없는지는 모를 것이고...

"... up to four dual-purpose naval ships: relatively big helicopter-carrying hulls but fitted with relatively simple combat systems. In my vision, we could employ these for constabulary-style counter-drugs operations in the Caribbean (first role) and, when integrated within a task group, we could use them as launch platforms for a land-attack capability (second role).

https://cafe.daum.net/NTDS/51Tv/1064

[위종민]

토마호크가 비싸다면 대지상 공격이 가능한 사거리 100km 정도의 미사일 등이 달려 있다면 이런 상황에서 유용했을 듯 합니다.

[Minowski(김유철)]

20년 전후해서 C-802A이 수출된 정황이 있는데, 진짜 열전 각 보이면 OPV는 멀찍이 물러설 수 밖에 없어보이네요..

[백선호]

사실 어떤 OPV가 억지력을 갖는다면 그것은 그 OPV의 '전투력' 때문이 아니고 그 나라의 깃발을 달고 있는 배를 건드렸을 때의 뒷감당을 할 수 있냐는 걱정 때문이지요.

이와는 별개로 오스트렐리아해군의 대위가 OPV가 전시에 저위협 환경에서 호위함 역할을 할 수 있게 만들어야 한다고 주장하네요. OPV에 AGM-88E 컨테이너를 달자는 아이디어도 내면서.

The presence (or potential presence) of an OPV armed with anti-radiation missiles would force an enemy to consider their emitter states in a way that the surface fleet cannot currently achieve.

https://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/tac-talks-18

[위종민]

대레이더 미사일을 달자는 의견은 재미있네요. 상대방의 레이더 등 전파 사용을 억제하기 위해서라..